Garment with improved fly closure

ABSTRACT

A neoprene fly closure which provides for minimization of bulk through the fly area of a pair of board shorts, which further provides for a more comfortable pair of shorts when worn surfing. The use of a neoprene gore eliminates bulky seams in the fly area, allowing a user to pull shorts on and off and also providing for a privacy shield should the fly area become open. The neoprene gore further provides a plurality of holes in the neoprene having apertures disposed over a substantial portion of the gore such as to provide sand drainage during use.

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/865,072 filed Jun. 10, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The inventions described below relate to the field of garments and, more particularly, to a garment fly that maintains a neat, flat appearance through the fly when closed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS

It is common for men and women to wear board shorts when engaging in surfing, swimming, or similar activities. It is desirable to avoid bulkiness in the fly area, especially when a person is lying on their stomach on a hard surfboard. Fabric seams in particular add to the bulkiness. Biggerstaff, Fly Closure for Garment, U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,215 (Mar. 13, 2001) describes a fly closure comprising a shield seamed to the right and left panel of the shorts. The shield further comprises a front flap and a back flap seamed together. However, the bottom and top edges of the front and back flaps are folded over and finished with a seam to avoid fraying of the fabric. These seams, though offset to a certain extent, still create bulkiness in the front area of the shorts.

SUMMARY

The fly closure described below provides for minimization of bulk through the fly area of a pair of board shorts, which further provides for a more comfortable pair of shorts when worn surfing. The use of a neoprene gore eliminates bulky seams in the fly area, allowing a user to pull shorts on and off and also providing for a privacy shield should the fly area become open. A plurality of holes in the gore fabric provide for sand and water drainage, especially when the shorts are worn for surfing or otherwise in a sandy water environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of board shorts with the fly closure device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pair of board shorts with the fly closure device of the present invention with the fly open and the gore visible.

FIG. 3 is a view of the fly area of the board shorts of FIG. 1 from inside the shorts and showing the gore lying flat and in a closed position.

FIG. 4 is a view of the fly area of a pair of board shorts from inside the shorts and showing the gore lying flat and in a closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a pair of board shorts 1. The shorts 1 include a waistband 2, a right front panel 3 and a left front panel 4. The left front panel overlaps the right front panel along the center front 5 to provide the appearance of a zippered fly. Top stitching along line C on the left front panel further provides the appearance of a zippered fly. Laces 6 extending through grommets 7 at the waistband close the fly 8. These board shorts 1 are preferably constructed of a quick-dry type fabric, such as nylon, sanded excaliber nylon, dynasuede polyester, or lightweight neoprene.

FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of the board shorts 1, showing another embodiment in which Velcro fasteners 9 are used to close the fly 8 in the waistband 2 area. Various other closure apparatus can be used to close the fly 8 at the waistband 2.

In FIG. 2, the board shorts 1 are shown with the fly 8 pulled open. A gore 10 is provided in the fly 8 and is secured to both the right and left front panels along seams 11 and 12. The gore 10 acts as the primary closure for the fly and as a privacy shield when the fly 8 is pulled wide open. The fly 8 extends from the waistband 2 to a base point A at which the right and left front panels are sewn together. The base point A is preferably positioned along the center front 5.

The right front panel 3 and left front panel 4 are placed right sides together with raw edges even and stitched along the center front seam 11, from pant front inseam (not shown) to base point A. Above base point A, the right front panel is folded under to form a right front fly extension 13 (shown in FIG. 3) and the left front panel is folded under to form a left front fly extension 14. The right front fly extension is placed over the first edge of the gore, with the gore fabric right side up, and top stitched along center front seam 11 above base point A. The second edge of the gore is slid into the left front fly extension 14 and top stitched along seam 12. Alternatively, the gore could be stitched to the right and left front panel by placing the right sides of the gore and the right sides of the right and left front panels and stitching along center front seam 11 and seam 11. Alternatively, the gore 10 could be sewn to the right front panel 3 and the left front panel 4 in any manner achieving the desired result.

FIG. 3 provides a close up view of the back portion of the fly 8, viewed from within the shorts 1. The gore is shown lying flat in the closed position with the gore 10 folded over onto fold line B.

The gore 10 is a triangular piece of cloth. Alternatively, the bottom point of the triangle (wherein the triangle is arranged flat side on top and one point facing down) may be snipped off for ease of assembly. The gore 10 fabric is preferably a quick dry non-woven fabric which need not be folded over and sewn at the raw edges to provide structural integrity to the raw edge of the fabric. For example, light-weight neoprene is a quick dry non-woven fabric which is durable, stretchy and does not run or otherwise degrade structurally when force is applied upon it. Unlike woven fabric such as Lycra or nylon, neoprene does not run when force is exerted upon it and therefore does not require a finishing seam. Other non-woven fabric or polymer sheets would also be suitable, including but not limited to rubber and plastic. Alternatively, a woven fabric that would normally run or fray may be used, so long as the finished edge is pinked or otherwise cut such as to prevent runs from occurring when stress is applied. Additionally, a raw edge could be reinforced with a straight line of stitching without the need to fold over the fabric before stitching.

FIG. 4 provides an alternative embodiment for the gore, as viewed from the back portion of the fly 8 from within the shorts 1. The gore 15 is a triangular piece of cloth and is shown lying flat in the closed position with the gore 15 folded over onto fold line B. The triangular gore may also be snipped at the bottom to form a trapezoid or other generally triangular shape or otherwise modified for ease of assembly.

A plurality of holes 16 or perforations are made in the fabric in any suitable pattern. The holes may be cut, punched, bored, pierced, lasered, drilled or otherwise made into the fabric in a way that does not degrade the structural integrity of the fabric. The apertures are sized to permit flow of sand and water transversely through the gore.

The material of the gore 15 is preferably a quick dry non-woven fabric which need not be folded over and sewn at the raw edges to provide structural integrity to the raw edge of the fabric. For example, light-weight neoprene is a quick dry non-woven fabric which is durable, stretchy and does not run or otherwise degrade structurally when force is applied upon it or when holes are cut into it. Fishnet, mesh, or eyelet material with interstices large enough to allow sand to pass through may be suitable. Other non-woven fabric or polymer sheets would also be suitable, including but not limited to rubber and plastic. Alternatively, a woven fabric that would normally run or fray may be used, so long as the finished edge is pinked or otherwise cut such as to prevent runs from occurring when stress is applied, and the raw edge of the hole pattern is finished, such as an overcast stitch as in eyelet fabric.

A series of stitches 17 are provided horizontally across the fabric as shown so as to limit the opening in the crotch area and to block a vertical flow through channel for water. In use, the holes 16 provide for sand and water drainage transversely through the gore, especially when the shorts are worn for surfing or otherwise in a sandy water environment. Drainage along the fold is blocked either by the stitches 17 or termination of the gore in the closed construction.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the gore unfolds and opens so that the wearer can pull the shorts 1 on over her hips. Once on the wearer, the fly 8 may be closed as shown in FIG. 1, wherein the gore folds and lies flat. Any movement of the wearer that would tend to open the middle portion of the fly 8, between the waistband 2 and the base point A, would expose only the gore. Thus, visual access through the fly 8 is prevented and the wearer's privacy is preserved.

Thus, while the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. Other embodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from the spirit of the inventions and the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A garment comprising: a right front panel; a left front panel; the right front and left front panels being joined together along a portion of their pant front inseam by a seam, leaving a vertical opening above the seam; and a gore coupled to the open portion of the right front panel and left front panel, wherein the gore comprises a material having apertures disposed over a substantial portion of the gore.
 2. A garment as in claim 1 wherein the material is a non-woven fabric.
 3. A garment as in claim 1 wherein the material is neoprene.
 4. A garment as in claim 1 additionally comprising a waistband extending from the right front and left front panels, the waistband including a fastener adapted to releasably hold the right front and left front panels in close proximity to one another.
 5. Short pants having a vertical slit opening in the fly area and left and right front panels, said shorts further comprising: a triangular gore having an upper edge, lower apex, and left and right edges, said gore secured at its left edge to the right front panel and secured at its right edge to the left front panel, said gore comprised of a material having apertures disposed over a substantial portion of the gore.
 6. A garment as in claim 5 wherein the material is a non-woven fabric.
 7. A garment as in claim 5 wherein the material is neoprene.
 8. Short pants as in claim 5 additionally comprising a waistband extending from the right front and left front panels, the waistband including a fastener adapted to releasably hold the right front and left front panels in close proximity to one another.
 9. A garment comprising: a right front panel; a left front panel; the right front and left front panels being joined together along a portion of their pant front inseam by a seam, leaving a vertical opening above the seam; and a gore coupled to the open portion of the right front panel and left front panel, wherein the gore comprises an eyelet material.
 10. A garment as in claim 9 wherein the eyelet material is a non-woven fabric.
 11. A garment as in claim 9 wherein the eyelet material is neoprene.
 12. A garment as in claim 9 additionally comprising a waistband extending from the right front and left front panels, the waistband including a fastener adapted to releasably hold the right front and left front panels in close proximity to one another. 